I've got a trackday booked for the end of this month at croft. Problem being my current rear S02's are pretty desperate for a change (2-3mm left) and I don't really want to do a track day on brand spanking S02's. In theory the more worn the better really as there should be less tread block movement, and less chance of the blocks melting. (Unless it rains then I'm fooked ha ha)

So my question is, will the very worn tyres be ok on track or would I be better trying to get some part worn S02's for the day.

 

As you say, so long as there isn't a lot of standing water you're best off on old tyres.

If there is, well it's a chance to practice your car control

 

But with less tread on the blocks, it's a lot harder to warm them up. But 3mm should be fine, 2mm you're on much harder rubber but you'll have fun! Just hope you don't get rain. Makes me appreciate the RE050's much more.

 

3mm is the limit on the S02's dont forget , thats wet or dry. Beyond 3mm the silica compound of the S02 goes off. They will become squirmy esp in the dry , lots of fun if you have the run off area

For you track day they would be ok but you will feel them go off so you may as well keep them on and wear them out

 

I've done a wet trackday on 3mm of s02 tread. Its somewhat fun.... but not dangerously fun. In the dry you'll be fine. Just make sure you've got some tyres to change onto at the end of the day so that you're not driving bald tyres home.

Cider boy had s02's on the rear of his car at bedford with 3-4mm of tread and from the passenger seat there didn't appear to be a significant loss of traction at the end of the day thought the tyres were obviously signigicantly hotter than they get on the road. The spin that covered us both with grass and dust came from excess speed, not from lack of grip I had the same problem with the re050's on my car!

 

Lower, yours and Nicks spins were from speed exceeding talent

 

The car's fantastic on new S-02s on a track.

At the start of the day.

By the end, they feel hexagonal.

The grip is far lower on knackered ones, but it does make more financial sense to use the old ones up.

Have fun!

 

you'll be fine on the old ones..

but might be illegal on the drive home

 

My spin was from not wanting to back off after I had been messy through the previous chicane.

Back to the S02s. Mine were a well worn set I had been saving for a track day, which I swapped them with my month on ones on the morning.

I was expecting to have turn them into slicks after a day at Bedford, but they still have some life in them and I drove home on them.

No problem with grip all day, though they did take a while to warm up (Sarren will testify to this!).

They did get warm eventually though. In fact you hand kind of stuck to them if you touched the rubber afterwards!

Nick

 

Ok then I'll probably just keep them on unless i find some half worn S02's with wheels somewhre like ebay, I was just worried the lack of tread would significantly compromise the grip levels.

I can get new tyres fitted at the end of the day at the track so it doesn't matter at all if i shred them.